


A Conversation in the Dark

by FoiblePNoteworthy



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Because Ozai, Gen, I just want them to be friends, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Sibling Bonding, Sorry Not Sorry, azula and zuko are kinda sorta friends here hooray, discussions of murder i guess, it's in the ballpark, kinda angst I guess, sorta - Freeform, sorta open ended?, there are emotions but the people having them are emotionally stunted, they decide to work together for once and will probably destroy the world, this is ninety percent diaogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoiblePNoteworthy/pseuds/FoiblePNoteworthy
Summary: “What do you want, Azula?”“Father ordered me to kill you,” she said, making no move to do so.“I asked what you want.”“Perhaps it’s the same thing.”***Zuko and Azula try talking things out in Ba Sing Se before everything gets dramatic
Relationships: Azula & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 1077
Collections: A:tla, Finished111, Quality Fics, The Best of Avatar the Last Airbender





	A Conversation in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> this is another case of 'oh i was going to write what im supposed to be writing but i did this instead'  
> have at it while i keep chipping away at desperation/part 2 of youre my home which both want to hit me in the face for no reason

_Tea was disgusting and the people asking for it were disgusting and he was disgusting for pretending to be one of them like he was worthy of their two-copper tips and kind words and the sad looks they gave him when they thought he wasn’t looking and-_

Zuko needed to clear his head. Sometimes he did this by practising his katas (with his swords, not his fire, because even in the privacy of their own apartment they weren’t _safe_ ); sometimes he would meditate; sometimes (rarely) he would talk to Uncle, and distract himself from the problem by trying to puzzle out his proverbs.

Most nights, he did nothing; let it fester. He rarely had the energy for anything else.

On one night, he went for a walk. Not the best thing to do in Ba Sing Se, even if one ignored the Dai Li (inadvisable).

The lamps which kept the walkways lit had long since been doused in all but the most important main streets, leaving Zuko blind but for the lanterns of the night patrols he had to hide from. The pale amber light revealed black puddles beneath his feet at the last second, the sliver of moon above offering him no help, unable to reach them in the shadows of the tall buildings.

A figure fell into step with him. He tensed for a moment, but she didn’t attack him, nor he her, and after a moment he relaxed a hair.

“What do you want, Azula?” he asked, tired before they’d even begun.

“Father ordered me to kill you,” she said simply, making no move to do so.

“I asked what _you_ want.”

“Perhaps it’s the same thing.”

“You know I’m no threat to you. Are you capable of honesty?”

They were silent for a few paces.

“I want to offer you a civil conversation,” she said.

“About?”

“Your options.”

He stopped, scrubbing one hand across his face. She grinned.

“Just get to the point, Lala.”

She started walking again. “I’m taking Ba Sing Se, tomorrow.”

“Of course you are.”

“You don’t doubt me?”

“You’ve never failed at doing something you want to do. I take that as a compliment, by the way.”

They both thought of their numerous battles, in which neither of them had been badly hurt.

“Of course you would. But my point, Zuzu, if you must know-”

“This big important thing you refuse to stop dancing around.”

“Yes and you keep interrupting me.”

“And _you_ keep letting me. You’ve missed me, haven’t you?”

“I never liked you.”

“Not what I asked, and yet that’s what you answered.”

“You’ve gotten better at this.”

“Someone like _us_ living off the kindness of Earth Kingdom strangers rather needs to, don’t you think?”

“Nothing but the skin on your back could push you towards dishonesty. Dishonour. Odd when the skin on you fac-”

“What do you want?” he asked again.

“Your help.”

“Why?”

“I need-”

“No, you don’t; you’ve never _needed_ me.”

A sigh. “Perhaps it’s less about what I want and more about what _you_ want.”

“And what do you think I want?”

“Well, you’ve spent the last three years trying to go home…”

“I thought you’d have realised I’d gave up on that when I almost took your head off. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“We already agreed you’re not a threat.”

“I meant for the compliment.”

Same as him, she had never been harmed in their battles, despite the higher threat she posed.

She _hmphed._ “I hope you understand how frustrating it is being unable to kill one of the few people who could, with a lot of help and luck behind him-”

“We both know which of us is the lucky one here.”

“-possibly present the slightest threat to me.”

“How could I not understand that frustration when I feel the same for someone who is _actually_ a threat?”

“I’m more than a threat to you, Zuzu.”

“When you refuse to kill me?”

“I could kill Uncle.”

“Perhaps. I could kill Mai and Ty Lee.”

“Could you? Do you really think they matter to me, even if you could bring yourself to do it?”

He shrugged. “You don’t care about many people; they’d be my best option. I don’t imagine suicide would be the way to get you back.”

“Feel free to try it.”

“No thanks.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes more.

“This had been very sweet of you, Lala, but I’ll be home soon. Whatever you’re wanting, you should ask now.”

She did not ask - “Help me take Ba Sing Se, and return home with me.” – but ordered instead.

“I won’t go back there, Azula.”

“It has been dreadfully boring without you there. I missed my favourite little scapegoat.”

“Refusing to kill you and taking father’s beatings in your place are two different things. You are more than capable of staying here.”

“I will not give up the crown.”

“Then maybe _he_ should.”

“Are you that desperate to be symmetrical again?”

“Uncle would help us. I’m certain he has been planning something for quite some time.”

“This is treason, Zuko.”

“Like you care about a little dishonesty.”

“The things he would do to us…”

“You already said I’m more of a threat than he is.”

He was, in her own words, the only one who could be.

“I suppose I did.”

“You’re going to kill him, one day.”

“Not yet.”

“Why delay? Do you fear asymmetry that much?”

“I fear nothing.”

“If you don’t fear him, why do you want me there to protect you?” His voice cracked for the slightest moment. “As I should have been doing, these last few years.”

“Yes.” And a hardness entered her playful tone. “You should have been. You left me alone with him, and for what? The 41st are dead anyway. Your honour is gone. Legally. By law, you are honourless.”

“Wow, I hadn’t realised I was missing my honour. Thank you for letting me know.”

She huffed.

He waited a moment before speaking again. “I wouldn’t let him burn you. I would help you find allies. The Avatar is a child and a fool, and all the leaders of all the nations would listen to him if we convinced him we’d changed our ways. They’ll need someone on the throne, anyway.”

“And you can drag Uncle into this. He’ll listen to _you_.”

“Maybe he should have stayed in the Caldera with you.”

“He and mother are the same. You were always easier to deal with than I.”

His head dipped in a slight nod. “I’m sorry I didn’t realise, before…”

“You should be.” She sighed again. “Or perhaps not. You always were a stupid child. One doesn’t blame the chicken-pig for not guarding the dragon any more than one blames it for getting slaughtered.”

“Thanks.” There was slightly too much inflection for his usual blunt sarcasm. She didn’t comment on it.

“I will think about your suggestion. I expect you to follow through on all you have offered.”

“If there are two things I can do they’re _working hard_ and _keeping my promises_. You can trust me, Lala.”

“Well, you’re still not that good of a liar.”

“I’d never be good enough at it to beat you.”

“As it should be.”

He laughed.

They came to his street. “I will leave you here and arrange the delay of my plans. It would be to your benefit to assume I’m allying myself with you; I’ll expect you to have everything ready if I return.”

“Of course.” He gave a short bow, hand forming a flame on his chest. “I’m assuming you’ve already dealt with the Dai Li?”

“Why would I kill such useful people, Zuzu?”

“Fair point. They’re yours then?”

“They can see where the war is going. Like I said, the city will be mine _tomorrow_.”

“You won’t mind me stealing a bison from you then?”

“It’s not as though I have any use for it.”

“Very generous.”

They stood facing each other for a minute, neither quite ready to leave.

“Azula, I’ll need to make offers to whatever allies I dig up, and you know I’m an appalling liar…”

“So _here’s_ your angle.”

“Who does the war benefit? Not our people and not theirs… Mostly just a handful of men sitting at a table trying to tell _you_ , their _Firelord_ , what to do. They won’t last a day with you at court anyway.”

“…I expect _you_ to deal with all the boring diplomacy.”

“Thank you, Azula.”

He moved as though to touch her, maybe hug her, but thought better of it at the last minute. She watched the motion in its entirety but made no move to reciprocate. Something in her chest felt out of place, watching him. Watching herself.

“He really is a bastard, isn’t he?” she said.

“Not for much longer.”

They looked at each other, words caught on their tongues.

“I have business to attend to,” she said, instead of what she wanted to. “I’ve wasted enough time here as it is.”

“It was nice talking to you as well. I look forward to working with you.”

“You would.”

She stepped closer into his space for a fleeting second, her hands twitching by her sides, before she turned and left without a word.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos comment check out my other stuff its all about zuko i have a problem
> 
> yeah so something this heavily made up of dialogue can get confusing even when it's just two people so please let me know if i need to add some clarity anywhere
> 
> i don't plan to write a follow up to this btw, y'all can see where it's going anyway. maybe if i get a hella interesting idea i'll throw something at it but thats a big maybe


End file.
